Special CNC Build Club – Linux CNC on Beaglebone

Charles Steinkuehle, the guy behind the Machinekit port of Linux CNC to the Beaglebone microcontroller is going to be in town Thursday 6/26/2014, so we are going to have a special edition of the CNC build club. Special features on the Beaglebone make it the first general use microcontroller to be able to effectively run Linux CNC.

He will be showing off his new CRAMPS (Cape RAMPS) board. This is a cape for the Beaglebone that all all the periferals you would need for a CNC machine or 3D printer

We have featured LinuxCNC on Beaglebone at a few other CNC Build Club events, so it is great to have Charles stop by:

One thought on “Special CNC Build Club – Linux CNC on Beaglebone”

I have been following this from the Philippines so forgive me if I missed something. I am building an OpenBuilds OX CNC Router, which needs controls. I thought the BBB and the Rosetta Bone Board by Bart Dring would be ideal. But then I read that the LinuxCNC has been modified to use on a 3D Printer. That is fine because I could use it on my 3D Printer, however, the MachineKit LinuxCNC in not the same as LinuxCNC. If I use it with a parallel cape BBB, the pin out is not the same as LinuxCNC on a desktop computer with a parallel port. Also, using it with a Pololu driver, while fine for 3D Printers, is not so fine for CNC Routers. Most CNC Stepper motors are at least 2.5 amps or more and the Pololu driver is just 2.2 amps or 2.5 for the HD with no margin for safety. You should have two products, one for 3D Printers with one name and the other for CNC Machines named LinuxCNC, which is why it was developed.
If I am missing something or don’t have the latest facts, please excuse me. I retired and moved to the Philippines from Chicago 6 years ago and it is difficult to keep up. If that is the case, I guess I will have to use my Raspberry Pi Alamode CNC Controller, even though the BBB is a much better computer. It also means I will have to use grbl with the Pololu drivers and downgrade my motors. Please tell me it ain’t so.

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